Thursday, August 07, 2008

Never Say Never

Knitting has taken me many places I never expected to go, but none more unexpected than a baseball field. Yup, I went to Stitch 'n' Pitch Chicago last night. I said I wouldn't and I truly believed I wouldn't. But at the last minute there was ticket, and the weather was good, and there was the prospect of An Evening with Knitters. So I went.

You remember Eleanor Roosevelt's line about how you should do something every day that scares you? The game was my Scary Thing for yesterday.

I know. Especially if you're American, you're thinking, scary? What the hell could be scary about something as squeaky-clean, family-oriented and apple pie-esque as a night at the ballpark?

Well, I'm a little gay man who was once a little gay kid. Here's a partial list of things I associate with ballparks based on my personal experiences:

Being yelled at for not wanting to go to the ballpark.

Being yelled at for wanting to bring a book to the ballpark.

Being yelled at for not understanding the game. (I still don't.)

Being yelled at for not having a great time at the ballpark.

Being called a faggot.

Being called a wimp.

Being called a nerd.

Being called a pansy.

Having a beer thrown at me for inadvertently wearing the colors of the visiting team.

Watching drunken men in the Fenway Park bleachers simulate anal sex with an inflatable doll in a Yankees jersey.

Some fun.

So I was nervous. Yeah, there would be 300 knitters, but there'd be thousands of non-knitters. And I've seen people I love get weird at sporting events. Belligerent. Especially when they felt I was letting down the team but not knowing what was going on (see "faggot, wimp, nerd, pansy," above).

I am happy to report that last night, I emerged unscathed and unmolested. I even, dare I say it, had fun, although at no point did I actually watch the game–which is probably one of the reasons I had fun. And you know what? The White Sox fans were pretty nice people, and so was the stadium crew.

I had my camera, so here's a little souvenir scrapbook. It was awesome, as always, to see familiar faces and meet stitchers I haven't met before. I even got a chance to talk to Gianofer Fields of Chicago Public Radio, who was there interviewing folks–she's the one in the headset, learning to cast on from Kathy of Arcadia Knitting.

Many thanks to the Chicago committee who put all this together, even though they also all run knitting shops and have way too much to do as it is.

PS. If you go see the White Sox, spend the extra money on the kosher hot dogs, it's worth it.PPS. The red Stitch 'n' Pitch baseball caps are wicked cute. I will be wearing mine a lot.

78 comments:

Every now and then, it's good to try something outside of your comfort zone. (I have a rule that I periodically try foods I don't like just to see if I still don't like them - to my surprise, I've discovered that I like asparagus!)

Looks like everyone had fun, and I'm sorry I had to miss it. Sitting in those upper deck seats at Sox Park just sends me into an instant anxiety attack. I loved it a couple years ago when we got bleacher seats and would do it again if we could arrange seats a bit closer to the earth than the heavens.

Glad you enjoyed the day; your pictures show a lot of fun. Sorry that you had such bad childhood game experiences.

I've always taken knitting to baseball games; DH used to work for a minor league team and then a major league team. Best place to sit? Right behind home plate, where the screen keeps you safe from foul balls when you're not paying attention because YOU'RE KNITTING!

A group like that might actually get me to go to a baseball game. I haven't been to one since 1985 when I attended as a goodwill gesture to my soon-to-be mother in law, who loved baseball. She knitted through the whole game and didn't criticize me for bringing a book so it wasn't a bad experience. Unfortunately she died before I learned to knit or like baseball so there's probably no hope for me.

It looks like fun! I SO wish there was a Stitch n Pitch night at Wrigley Field - my husband is a die-hard Cubs fan and we always take our kids to a game once a year. (and we've always found it to be pretty family friendly, thank goodness)

Glad you enjoyed yourself. I was knitting with you in spirit at the Giant's game in San Francisco. Beautiful day to be outside. The view of the Bay from our seats was great. You could not ask for a better seat to knit and enjoy the day!

Great pics! I have been to exactly one professional baseball game in my life and that was enough. Well, wait--I went to a "farm team" game once, I guess that counts. OK, so twice. Not my idea of a good time either. I'm glad you had fun though!

I think I may have mentioned that my great-grandfather, whose namesake I am, played semi-pro. For this reason, I was submitted to two hellish years of little league with a coach who wished desperately that I weren't there.

And yet, I still enjoy going to live games (I blame it on funnel cake). It's probably the only major professional sport in this country where tickets are still fairly affordable, too. I like minor league games better, though, because they tend to provide more cheesy entertainment between innings to attract crowds.

I am happy you stepped out there and went to the game. Looks like you had a good time.

I already have my ticket for the NY Mets vs. Cubs Stitch and Pitch so I will be thinking of you. I have very fond memories of going to the ballpark as a kid, my only lament is that now as a vegetarian there are limited food options. Nachos for dinner are not such a good idea. ~ksp

I get free tickets through work, so once a year I take myself and my knitting and brave the drunken crowds at Fenway. I can see where it could cause some trauma. Some of the people there are pieces of work.

It'll be a great day when other peoples' homophobia doesn't stop us from participating in the communities we want to be part of! Good on you for being bold - the more we show up, the more they will have to get used to difference. A small bold gay man armed with knitting needles and surrounded by allies is a force to be reckoned with.Sal

My husband says to remember that it's not just gay kids who get the comments, just different kids. He's gotten fired from jobs for reading and yelled at for all kinds of reasons. I love seeing the Chicago folk. Man, I miss it.

Detroit's S&P is Sunday. I'm still trying to find tickets. It looks you had a blast. I do like to admire the fine asses out on the field. That's about the extent of watching baseball for me. I especially love to watch Kenny Rogers' fine tushie while he pitches. If I can't make it, I'll watch it on the tube.

I just went to my first baseball game today at Kominski Park and I'm a gay man too. Although I didn't understand all the social nuances, I felt welcomed from the beginning as seat-neighbors made small talk with me.

Glad this was a better experience than the earlier ones. It makes me sad that you were treated that way. I had my share of snide remarks (I certainly wasn't relaxed or athletic... both prized characteristics), but nobody deserves them. How about we all speak up more often and louder when anybody is being dissed?And guess what my word verification is:kntngo!!!

Friends had tickets to the local ball game, so DH and I joined them. I was asking lots of idiot questions because I'd never been to a baseball game before. The guy behind me was listening and making eye-rolling noises. When the two team captains and the referee got together at the first of the game to flip the coin, I asked DH, "Is this called the tip-off?" the guy behind me snorted and moaned, "Oh my god!" So, we got to the point where there was a runner on first, and the pitcher was stalling and stalling and trying to catch the runner off base, getting ready to throw, then adjusting the set of his belt, setting up to pitch, then spinning around to cover first, then taking his time getting comfortable on the mound, yadayadayada for ten minutes. I turned to DH, and in my best dear gray-haired granny voice I asked, "Is this where we yell,'throw the ball you cocksucker?'" The guy behing me blew beer through his nose.

That looks like an absolute hoot! I've never been to a ball game, and this seems like a good way to compromise with the sports fan to whom I am married. I'm glad you had fun, and I'm sure that any bullies would have been intimidated by all those people with pointy sticks and good dexterity.

There are gonna be out-of-control drunks at any baseball game, so I'm glad you managed to sit with a good crowd this time. FWIW, watching baseball can be scary--you need to watch out for foul balls and line drives, unless you're seated behind the netting. A line drive foul ball to the head can kill you.

I am so going to have my 13 yo son read this! He has Asperger's Syndrome and was never an athletic kiddo. Even our family members thought it was 'weird' that he didn't want to play sports. He'd rather sit and knit or sit and read. He's an awesome kiddo and I encourage him to just be him no matter what anyone says. We go to Stitch n Pitches together and he even goes to knitting group. I'm so glad you went and had a positive experience.. :)

One time my husband and I were at a Giants game and another fan was upset because I worked a crossword puzzle during the game. I told him it was ok because I watched the giants at bat. He was not consoled.

First, I am not gay, little, or a guy. And yet my baseball experiences are almost identical to yours. Go figure.Second, coming in late on your colour choosing. I learned this little trick from a book about 40 yrs ago. I take a ruler (or a paint stir stick or something similar) I wrap the yarn around it more or less in proportion to how the design will be done. Works like a hot damn. It saved me from the coral and cream combo that looked lovely in the skeins, and totally disappeared in the knitting. And for really really tooth floss yarn, I've always used these honkin' long straight needles I picked up somewhere. Or the really long double points (you can get them at Schoolhouse Press) with a wee cork stuck on the end to stop the stitches from flying off the other end.

So how many of those people who yelled at you when you were young, have hordes of people all over the world, clammering for them to come to take pictures for their book? Huh? None, I bet. "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."

First - Mel, our Brewers can claim the coolest cheesy half-time show ever (no pun intended): nowhere else has a SAUSAGE RACE between a 12' hot dog, Polish sausage, bratwurst, Italian sausage and chorizo! (My daughter tells me the Chorizo has a lot of trouble on account of wearing an enormous sombrero.) I regretfully missed our Stitch-n-Pitch; maybe I'll see if I can get one organized for our minor league team........

Funny, I think I get yelled at about baseball for the same reasons -- with slight, judicious editing. My dad played minor league ball, so he was put out when neither my brother or me refused to go to a game when we were kids. Fast forward to the present, when my husband gets irked that I won't go to a Nationals game with him. "But these seats are right up front??!!" he gasps. "Exactly!" I say. "I can't knit that close to the field without dropping stitches. Those pop flies are a pain in the ass."

I'm about to embark on my first Chicago adventure. Aside from the inflatable doll episode, that I now have stuck in my head (thanks for the visual)I am crazy excited about this trip. Not only will I actually do something this summer but it will involve lots of yarn. I'm headed off to my first Stitches.

Congratulations on facing your fear. By avoiding the work I need to do, I stumbled upon your blog, and feel like this post was a little push in the right direction. Time to face my fear and get to work. Thank you, Franklin.

It looks as if you had a good time at the stitch and pitch. I can understand the book thing though. When attending a sporting event, it is important to not only bring a knitting project, but a book is vital. I mean, what will you do when your hands get tired?

It'd be great if your next photography project was "1000 Stitch and Pitch Knitters," but I suppose that's too much to ask for??? Especially since the Cubs refuse (so far) to have a Stitch and Pitch night?

At the risk of posting an "empty" comment, I'm going to go ahead and say I love your blog and your writing style. Your sister bragged about you long enough for me to want to check out your blog, and I'm not disappointed. I am a non-knitter, but your posts intrigue me anyway.

That's wonderful! We go to our local game on Sept. 14. My son said, "OK, as long as it's not the A's." Um, honey...

Then when he heard there were goodie bags, he was OK with it being an A's game. I think it'll be fun, if people don't coo too much over an 8-year-old boy knitting. Then he'll try to kill me with laser eyes.

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